At the Beginning
by DFM
Summary: “Nobody’s going to do anything to you, Gibson. I promise”


Title: At The Beginning  
Author: Devin  
Rating: PG  
Category: SAR  
Keywords: Post-ep, AU, Angst, UST, MSR  
Spoilers: Pilot, The Beginning  
Summary: "Nobody's going to do anything to you, Gibson. I promise"  
Disclaimer: The X-Files belong to CC, Fox, 1013, DD, GA, etc. etc. etc.  
Author's Note: This was written for the 'A Home For Gibson' Challenge on The Nursery Files. Thanks to MF Luder for beta reading it for me.

Dana Scully's Apartment  
September 1998

Scully was fuming.

'_Diana's_ protecting the work'

'_Diana _saw it too.'

'_She_ would never deny it just because science says it's not true.'

If that man made _one_ more snide comparison between the two of them _she_ would kill him. Damn the consequences.

Did he think she didn't want the X-Files back? They were as much hers as they were his. She didn't want to be anywhere else.

And she certainly didn't want Agents Jeffrey-is-my-nose-far-enough-up-your-ass-Sir-Spender and Diana-I-would-sell-my-own-mother-out-for-a-nickel-Fowley to be in charge of them.

She'd rather they were closed.

Sighing in disgust, both with what was on TV as well as her thoughts, she angrily jabbed at the power button and began to move towards her bedroom when a knock stopped her.

'That better not be Mulder,' she thought bitterly. 'I just can't tonight.'

She looked through the peephole and was relieved, if not a little perplexed, to see her landlord. She opened the door and noticed the little boy studying his shoes, a baseball cap pulled forward over his eyes, obscuring his face.

"Mr. Coeben?"

"Sorry to bother you, Dana," he said apologetically, he'd always been somewhat protective of her, "but I caught this kid sneaking around, trying to figure out which apartment was yours. He says he knows you."

She was about to deny the claim when the kid looked up and met her eye for the first time. She couldn't help the gasp that passed through her lips.

"Gibson."

* * *

Mulder fidgeted with his tie for the millionth time. 'Where is Scully?' he thought petulantly, wishing she was there to fix the damn thing.

He was grumpy and sitting in Kersh's waiting room alone; a bad combination.

It was their first official meeting with their new AD and Mulder already disliked him, the man just looked anal-retentive.

Mulder was back to fixing his tie when Mr. Retentive himself opened his office door. "Agent Mulder," he said in a way that made Mulder feel like he was being told to heel.

"Um, sir, I'm sure Agent Scully will-" he started, looking for any excuse to delay this meeting. 'Uhg, Scully, where are you?'

"Agent Scully already informed me that she would not be able to attend this meeting due to a family emergency. Considering the circumstances and that I do not have anything but background checks for the both of you, I felt confident that you could manage without her for a week. Now, if you don't mind..." he gestured inside his office and Mulder had no choice but to acquiesce to his request.

* * *

Scully glanced over at Gibson's sleeping form and tried to fathom what she'd gotten herself into.

"Ma'am. Would your son like another pillow?" the flight attendant asked, startling her out of her reverie.

"No, he's alright. Thank you. I don't want to wake him." The woman smiled and moved on to help more passengers.

'Son,' she thought. He was her son now. Well, technically, he was Elizabeth Mathews' son.

He had shown up on her doorstep and told her about how he found his way home, only to find both his parents were dead from a suspicious car crash and a Syndicate lackey waiting for him.

She had seen this kid go through more than most adults rather stoically, but when he had tried to describe learning of his parents' fate he had broken down. There had been nothing else she could do but to hold him close and gently rock him, promising she would protect him.

And with that promise she had sealed her fate.

The next few hours went by in a haze as she called in favors, made preparations, and she wrote letters to both her mother and Mulder explaining what little she could to them.

And then that was it.

She ceased being Dana Katherine Scully and had become Elizabeth Mathews, single mother of Andrew Mathews.

* * *

Mulder was exhausted.

Kersh had had him running around all day doing the stupidest 'bend down and grab your ankles' tasks, which even a rookie would have hesitated to demean himself by carrying out.

In his sleep deprived stupor he trudged over to his desk and plopped down his briefcase. Unfortunately, he didn't notice the envelope that had been in the center of the desk to be pushed to the back where it balanced precariously, finally slipping to the floor.

* * *

"Elizabeth!" a voice from behind them called out causing both Scully and Gibson to turn to seek the source of the cry: Billy Miles

Billy walked over to them and, under the pretense of hugging him as if he were an old friend, Scully whispered, "Thanks for all your help, Billy."

"No problem, Agent Scully," he whispered back. "So," he said a little louder, "do you and Andrew have any bags?"

* * *

Mulder had not heard from Scully in a week and he was beginning to panic. Actually, if he was honest with himself, he had been in panic mode for three days now, ever since she hadn't returned his first phone call. He had waited a few days to give her time to deal the family emergency privately. Each day was pure torture; he was surprised he had lasted as long as he had, now he was worried he shouldn't have.

What was even more troubling was that her mother wasn't answering either.

He had to do something.

'Fuck this,' he decided and picked up the phone.

"Skinner."

* * *

"You really miss him, don't you?"

Scully jumped at Gibson's unexpected entrance. She couldn't help but sigh in frustration.

"Gibson..." she warned, in a mom voice she was quickly learning. "What did I tell you about doing that?"

"I can't turn it off, Dana," he told her in equal frustration. "Besides I don't have to be psychic to figure that out."

She shot him a warning glance but he persisted. "So, do you miss him?"

Sighing again she pulled him down onto the couch next to her and loosely wrapped an arm around him while resting her head atop his. "Yeah. I do. More than I thought I would."

* * *

Mulder trudged home after another day of fruitless searching.

As he approached his door, however, his senses went on full alert. He smelled the distinct scent of cigarette smoke.

Pulling out his gun he opened his door, sure enough, the Cancerman was sitting on his couch like he owned the place.

"You want to put that out?" Mulder asked bitterly. "I'm still trying to repair that last thing you burned down."

CSM smiled indulgently and did as asked. "I would think you'd be happier to see me, Agent Mulder. I am here to help you."

"I don't want anything you could give me," Mulder answered defiantly.

"No?" he asked, clearly amused. "Even the location of Agent Scully?"

Mulder knew this was coming but that didn't stop the anger he felt coursing through him. Releasing the safety he leveled the gun at him. "What have you done with her?"

"I? I've done nothing. I do, however know where you can find her." He reached into his coat and pulled out an envelope that Mulder could clearly see had his name inscribed in Scully's neat cursive. He reached for it but CSM yanked it out of his reach. "There is of course something I need you to do in return."

"Always a catch," Mulder muttered. "What?"

"Go to where she is and live out your days in utter bliss. We'll leave both of you and Scully's young charge alone as long as all of you return the favor." He returned the envelope to within Mulder's reach but Mulder hesitated. "Agent Mulder, you will never get the X-Files back, take my word on that. Are you really willing to give up Scully too?"

Mulder gave him a hard look but took the letter from his hand.

Cancerman smiled and got up to leave. "Oh," he said and turned, holding out another letter. "Be sure to give this to her mother. Although, I suppose its moot at this point."

And then he was gone.

* * *

_Mulder,_

_I'm sorry our farewells had to be done in this fashion but under the circumstances I didn't have many options. Please know that if I had another choice I would not have left you behind but I needed to do this._

_I've enclosed my resignation, would you please give it to Kersh when my week off is up, I need that much of a head start should anyone decide to follow us._

_If you ever decide you need to find me all you need to know is that it is always a good idea to start at the beginning. I can't say anything more specific in case this letter falls into some else's hands._

_Goodbye, Mulder._

_Love,_

_Scully_

_

* * *

_

"Gibson! Come on, I have to get you to school on time, at least on your first day!" Scully called as she grabbed her keys off the table in the entrance hall. She swung open the door but stopped short when confronted with the sight of Mulder pacing back and forth on her porch.

"Scul-"

"Mul-"

Neither got any further in their sentence but moved together in perfect unison. He cupped the back of her head and slanted his mouth over hers.

A few minutes later Gibson walked out onto the porch and spotted them. "Oh yeah, I'm the one making us late."

The End


End file.
